Discharge device



Oct. 22, 1946. J. H. STROOP DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed Dec. 6, 1 9 4 INVENTOR. JO/Z/Y hf Jf/wp Y Z Z Patented Oct. 22, 1946 DISCHARGE DEVICE John H. Stroop, New York, N. Y., assignor to Specialties Development Corporation, Bloomfield, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 6, 1944, Serial No. 566,815

8 Claims.

This invention relates generally to devices for discharging or distributing fluid pressure media, and particularly to portable fire extinguishers.

An object of the invention is to provide a combined handle and discharge means or horn unit particularly adapted for portable fire eX- tinguishers.

Another object is to provide a unit of the above indicated character wherein positioning of the T horn controls the discharge of fluid pressure media.

Another object is to provide a unit of the above indicated character that is simple anddurable in construction, economical to manufacture and effective in operation, and lends itself to more ornate design without the sacrifice of any element of its function.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illus trative embodiment about to be described, or will beindicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view, partially in elevation and partially in section of a portable fire extinguisher embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, the device comprises, in general, a container H3, a discharge valve or head l2, operating means M for the valve I2, and a unit IS in which are combined a discharge means or horn l8 and a handle 20.

The container i is of a usual type, known as a cylinder in the fire extinguisher field, having a neck 22 and adapted to contain a high pressure fluid medium, such as carbon dioxide or other fire extinguishing medium.

The discharge valve or head l2 comprises a housing or body 24 including a depending tapered externally screw threaded portion 26 disposed in the neck 22 having an inlet bore 28, aninternally screw threaded end portion 30, a valve chamber 32, a valve seat 34 around an outlet 36, and a laterally extending portion 38 at the other end of the housing having an internally screw threaded bearing portion 40, and a bore 42 communicating with the outlet 35.

A valve member 44, in the chamber 32, has a stem 46 extending through the outlet 36 into the bore 42, and is normally held in closed position against the seat 34 by the fluid pressure and by a spring 48 backed by a screw plug 50 in the threaded end portion 30 of the housing 24.

The operating means I4 comprises an elbow conduit 52 having a portion 54 normally in horizontal position along one side of the housing 24, and a portion 56 across the end portion 30 of the housing. The inner or upstream end 58 of the conduit portion 54 is screw threaded into a memher 60 having a bore 62 communicating with the conduit portion 54 and with the bore 42 and also having a cam end 64 for cooperation with the valve stem 46 to effect unseating thereof.

The unit l6, may .be molded or otherwise formed of metal, plastic material or the like, as a single integral piece, or in longitudinally divided complementary halves or other form. The discharge means or horn l8 and the handle 20 of the unit are shaped somewhat on the order of a pistol grip and barrel respectively, with a portion 66 in position corresponding generally to the trigger position of a pistol. At the latter position, where the unit I6 is of plastic material, or where the unit otherwise may need reinforcing for the reception of the portion 56 of the elbow 52, a member 68, of metal or other material may be provided for embracing or being otherwise disposed relative to the portion 66. The member 68 may be detachably or permanently secured to either or both the operating means l4 and the unit I6, and in this instance is shown secured to the elbow 52 by a welded or brazed joint'llLand to the portion 66 by means 12, such as screws, dowels, or mold anchors.

The elbow conduit 52 communicates with the discharge means or horn.|8 through a passa e 14 in the portion 66 and a passage 16 in the horn wherein a discharge orifice. (not shown) is located.

Normally, under inactive conditions, the unit [6 is disposed as shown in full lines in both figures of the drawing, with the horn I8 positioned along one side of the cylinder Ill and close thereto, and the handle 2|! disposed over and above the head l2 at a slight angle thereacross. In these positions, the handle and the horn are both disposed so as to effectively conserve space laterally of the cylinder l0, and the handle 20 is placed relative to the center of gravity of the assembly, and inclined so as to conform closely to the hand and fingers of an operator in normal carrying position, whereby the handle provides for efiectively carrying the assembly.

In operation, the assembly is carried, as aforesaid, from its waiting position to the location of a fire and, when ready, the operator, without using his other hand, or the fingers of his carrying hand other than for carrying, and with one simple flip motion causes the unit IE to move from the full line position to the broken line position of Figure 1.

During this motion, when the horn l8 has passed through about 45 of its ninety degree swing about the axis of the bore 62 as a pivot axis, the cam 64 moves the stem 4.6 to unseat the valve member 44, whereupon the fluid passes from the container l0, through the inlet bore 28, into the valve chamber 32, through the outlet 35 through the bore 62, through the elbow conduit 52, and through the passages 14 and it into the horn l8.

In broken line position, the handle 20 is in normal firearm or pistol grip position for directing the discharge from the horn l8, which may be effected by pointing the horn at the fire.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that a novel fire extinguisher has been provided which is a distinct advance in its field as to simplicity, dependability, ease, efiectiveness and rapidity of its operation, space conservation, carrying and directing features as well as to ornate appearance, especially for certain surroundings or conditions where such appearance may be desirable.

While the present invention has been described in connection with a fire extinguisher for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that the features of the invention may be applied to other devices for discharging a medium under pressure. For example, the invention may be advantageously used in connection with devices for spraying fumigants, insecticides or the like.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

1. In combination, valve means for controlling a pressure fluid medium, a combined discharge means and handle unit, means for mounting said unit for movement relative to said valve means, and means cooperating between said valve means and said unit responsive to said movement for operating said valve means.

2. In combination, a container for a pressure fluid medium, a valve body secured to said container, a valve in said body, a combined discharge means and handle unit, means for mounting said unit on said body for movement relative thereto, and means cooperating between said valve and said unit responsive to said movement for operating said valve.

3. An assembly comprising a container for a pressure fluid medium, a combined discharge means and handle unit, and means connecting said unit to said container for movement relative thereto between a position occupied by the unit relative to the container during inactive conditions of the assembly and a position occupied by the unit relative to the container when the assembly is in service. I

4. An assembly comprising a container for a pressure fluid medium, a valve body secured to said container, a valve in said body, a combined discharge means and handle unit, means for mounting said unit on said body for movement relative thereto between a position occupied by the unit relative to the container during inactive condition of the assembly and a position occupied by the unit relative to the container when the assembly is in service, and means cooperating between said valve and said unit responsive to said movement of the unit between inactive and active positions for operating said valve.

5. An assembly comprising a container for a pressure fluid medium, a combined discharge means and handle unit, and means connecting said unit to said container for movement relative thereto between a position occupied by the unit when the assembly is in service and an inactive position in which said discharge means is disposed along one side of the container and said handle extends across the end of the container.

6. An assembly comprising a container for a pressure fluid medium, a combined discharge means and handle unit, and means connecting said unit to said container for movement relative thereto between a position occupied by the unit when the assembly is in service and an inactive position in which said handle is so related to the center of gravity of the assembly as to render it an effective carrying handle therefor.

7. In combination, a container for a pressure fluid medium, a valve body secured to said container, a valve in said body, a combined discharge means and handle unit, means cooperating between said body and said unit at a position on the latter between said discharge means and handle for mounting said unit on said body for movement relative thereto, and means cooperating between said valve and said unit responsive to said movement for operating said valve.

8. In combination, a container for a pressure fluid medium, a valve body secured to said container, conduit means movably connected to said body and constituting a combined valve member and outlet means therefor, and a unit combining discharge and handle elements carried by and connected to said conduit means at a position between said elements for imparting valve operating movement to and for directing the fluid from said conduit means to said discharge element.

JOHN H. STROOP. 

